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Garden Questions | Melinda Myers

Trumpet vines, tomatoes, sunflowers need help

Eraldo Peres

Q. I have several trumpet vines that are starting to bloom, but the vines, buds and flowers are covered with ants. Is this normal? Should I be spraying them?

A. Take a closer look at the plants. Aphids may be the real problem. These teardrop-shaped insects suck plant juices and secrete the excess as a clear, sticky substance called honeydew. The ants are attracted to this sticky substance. They're feeding on the honeydew, not your plants. Lady beetles and green lacewings often move in to eat the aphids. If they don't do the job, you can dislodge the aphids with a strong blast of water or kill them with several applications of insecticidal soap.

Q. I'm growing dwarf sunflowers and am not sure if I should continue to water. The yellow petals have all dropped, and there's fluffy yellow stuff in the middle of the flower head. The backs of the flower are starting to turn brown. Do I need to water or are they ready to cut and harvest? I waited for them to dry naturally last year, and they rotted!

A. Sounds like your sunflowers are ready to harvest. Remove the flower head with several inches of the stem intact. Hang them upside down in a warm dry place to dry. You can leave them on the head or remove the seeds by rubbing your hand over the face of the flower. Check out my Melinda's Garden Moment video, "When and How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds," on my website (listed below).

Q. I have a problem with tomato plants that look as if they don't receive enough water (although I water them well). The entire plants yellow, wither and die.

A. Several diseases can cause these symptoms. If the leaves develop small round spots, it's probably septoria leaf spot. The plants will survive, but they'll yield fewer tomatoes. You can remove infected leaves as they appear and use a natural or synthetic fungicide labeled for this.

Early blight is another common fungus that attacks tomatoes. Remove infected leaves and treat. Veriticillium and fusarium wilts can kill the plant. Do a thorough cleanup in fall, and plant your tomatoes in a new location next season.

Q. I have cucumber plants whose leaves yellow, then turn brown, then die. What's the cause of this problem?

A. Bacterial wilt is a common problem on cucumbers. This disease is spread from sick to healthy plants by the cucumber beetle. There's no cure once the plant is infected. Remove and destroy infected plants. Use an insecticide labeled for controlling cucumber beetles to reduce the risk of infection. Consider eco-friendly products and follow label directions and avoid spraying plants when bees are active.

Q. What kind of mulch is best for general landscaping if I buy it in bags at the store? What about cedar mulch? I want a natural look.

A. Function and beauty are both criteria to consider when selecting mulch. I like organic mulches like woodchips, evergreen needles and shredded leaves. They all help keep the soil cool and moist in summer, suppress weeds and improve the soil as they break down.

Wood mulches are great around trees and shrubs and for pathways. Maintaining a 2- to 3-inch layer is all you need. Research found that woodchips that contain bark, twigs and leaves were more resistant to compaction and a great choice for wood-type mulch. Cedar is naturally long lasting, extending the time between applications. The Enviro-mulches are shredded oak pallets that are dyed with a plant-safe product.

Select the mulch that best suits your style and landscape design. I like shredded leaves and evergreen needles for my perennials, annuals and vegetables. These products look good, break down quickly to improve the soil and don't tie up the nitrogen when incorporated into the soil.